OXYMORONS!

An except from an article by Michelle Bouschor about the unofficial results of the referendum votes read as follows:

“McCoy urged tribal members to get all of the facts on future proposed referenda. “We know that with both of these petitions, members were given both accurate and inaccurate information,” McCoy said. “It is very important for those members of voting age to know the facts about any petition they sign.”

McCoy said he hopes members understand that referendum elections are expensive and time consuming. The cost to the tribe of holding a referendum election is more than $30,000.

“The tribe is a democracy and our members absolutely must have the power to put the actions of elected leaders to a vote of the membership,” McCoy said. “But the referendum process is expensive to the tribe, so it is not something to take lightly. Holding a referendum is a serious and costly matter.”

This article was published on the Sault Tribe Web Site which is owned along with the tribal newspaper by the entire membership of the Sault Tribe with neither offering a rebuttal privilege to the membership. There is a question and answer section on the web site, but no section for any member to offer their opinion of current affairs which could reach the entire membership and perhaps stimulate questions about the facts behind decisions made by elected Board members such as those that resulted in the subject petitions for referendum.

The entire membership via the tribal newspaper receives only the opinion of unit representatives that in most cases do not necessarily reflect the will of the units they represent. The facts they present, if they choose to present any at all, are not necessarily all the facts. The act of presenting facts while withholding part of the information is deceptive and intentional. It seems that it is quite a common practice by a number of current elected board members. Yet, we are reminded by Mr. McCoy that “It is very important for those members of voting age to know the facts about any petition they sign.”

If there were more transparency and less hidden agendas within the corrupt leadership of this tribe there would not be a need for petitions and referendums. In the case of the current referendum millions of dollars were saved in comparison to the small amount that was spent to hear the will of the people.

Juli